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Roll on September 19th

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I’ve had enough. I know it’s democracy and we should be hugely grateful we live in a country that can make this decision without firing a bullet, but enough is enough.

The Scotland we know and love is gone. The UK as we knew it has gone too. What could and should have been a positive and wide discussion about the future of our country (and you can see that as both Scotland and the UK) has instead turned into a pathetic tit-for-tat spat. Over the weekend one poll put the Yes vote ahead by two points if the undecideds were not included. I would point out that if you check all the other polls not one of them agreed with that assessment. But then that’s not news. I’ve had enough of it:

Enough of lies: Why are we at all surprised that politicians are lying to us from all sides on the issues involved? Did you really think that they would finally behave themselves during this campaign? If you did, you deserve what you get when it all goes tits up.

Enough of the bickering: Semantics are easily played with and that’s what has been batted around for the last two and a half years. The slightest contradiction is blown up beyond all sanity for the sake of a soundbite or headline.

Enough of the bitterness: This is what we’ll be left with on the 19th – a divided and bitter country who will look at the other side with anger regardless of the outcome. Politicians against politicians, friends against friends, family members against family members – and for what? Do we really want a country that only just believes in the decision by 2 or 3% points? We wouldn’t have a chance in the future as a united Scotland.

Enough of the heckling: You can’t post anything online without the nit pickers moaning and correcting you – I have an opinion and you have yours, fine, but stop “correcting me” as I haven’t done that to your posts. There seems to be a fear in Yes voters that other opinions exist – I’ve read interesting articles from both sides but I don’t automatically negatively comment on the Yes ones because I’m a No voter – each to their own.

Enough of the Apathy: “I don’t think I’ll vote”. Get off the fence and decide, because the last thing I want is this to squeak by either way because it means we are in trouble.

Enough of the SNP: The sooner their smug and patronising faces vanish from my TV the happier I’ll be. (To be honest all the politicians involved are really grating now!) You do not speak for Scotland. You do not have a mandate to do anything. The majority of Scots did not vote for you so stop pretending you are the only solution to the problem you yourself have caused. Also you had the chance to bury the Bedroom Tax but rather than travel down to Westminster to vote you were campaigning instead.

Enough of the vandalism: I’m a no voter but I wouldn’t pull down any Yes campaign material – others haven’t been as sensible. Both sides are guilty, but from what I’ve seen the No material is more likely to be removed or torn up.

Enough of the division: We are going to have to work out a way to carry on as a group after the vote regardless of the result. We were a decent wee country, a country that had an identity but was part of the UK – that will be gone the day after the votes are made. We’ll no longer be a society who pull together because too much has been said and done for it to just pass without consequence. In my opinion this has ruined Scotland for at least a generation if not more. The polarisation of this campaign has removed a lot from the Scottish character and it’ll be difficult to get it back.

Enough of the fantasy: If Scotland becomes independent it will not be a great place to live for a long time – the change over will be painful financially so let’s stop pretending it’ll be fine, because it won’t. Stop using Norway as an example in comparisons because if you actually look at the rate of change and building of it as a sovereign nation then it’s path has been really hard going – have a wee read of your history books before going there again. Also we won’t be free of Westminster even if the SNP get their way because the Queen will still be head of state, the Bank of England would still set our rates (and they’ll be different to the rest of the UK) and we’ll rely on England, Wales and N Ireland to help us out initially.

Enough. Just stop, stand back and look at our country. Look at where we were a few years ago and now consider the 19th of September. Have we lost more than we’ve gained? Have we damaged our society? Are we still one country? Are we still Scotland?

The only question left to answer now is the one on the Ballot paper and regardless the result, I think we’ve already lost.